Cheryl Fergison chokes back tears as she reveals son is her carer after horror stroke

EastEnders star Cheryl Fergison has emotionally opened up about her devastating stroke that left the world she once knew, completely "rocked" and how her son has become her carer.

The 59-year-old actress is best known for her role as lovable Heather Trott on the BBC soap, which she starred in from 2007 to 2012, and again in 2016. But away from our screens, Cheryl has battled with her health, having been diagnosed with stage two womb cancer in 2015, although she didn't make this public until 2024.

In another worrying health scare, the soap star has emotionally revealed that she suffered a stroke, which left her "unable to walk or balance". Speaking exclusively to the Mirror ahead of the release of her new memoir, Behind The Scenes, Cheryl said she was at home watching TV when the unimaginable happened.

READ MORE: Alison Hammond reveals sweet gesture for fan just half an hour after beloved mum died

READ MORE: Luisa Zissman admits harsh parenting method she used on kids after they 'p****ed' her off'

"I started to feel funny, with a really bad headache at the back of my head," the mum of one shared. "I went to bed but couldn't settle. When I got up in the night to go to the bathroom, my balance completely went, and I had to stop myself from falling over. My whole right side felt numb, heavy and tingly."

Fearing the worst, Cheryl, who lives in Cleveleys, Lancashire, called her son Alex. "He worked with elderly people and recognised the symptoms. He phoned an ambulance straight away." She was rushed to a hospital in Blackpool and was told she had suffered a stroke.

The soap star was left unable to walk, with it initially taking three people to help her to the toilet. Cheryl said her stroke was "devastating" as it stopped her from travelling abroad for work and left her unable to drive.

While she is now in recovery, attending physiotherapy and using a stick, she has relied heavily on her son, Alex, who has become her carer. In an emotional chat, she told us: "My son is doing everything for me. He's been my carer, he's been my rock, he's been my supporter."

Holding back tears, she added: "He's always there for me, I can't. He's always attached to me."

Speaking further about her recovery, Cheryl shared: "I have had to retrain my brain. I couldn’t even pick up a penny at first.

"You lose the ability to coordinate your hands, to walk properly, your balance is gone. It’s frustrating and makes you angry. But I’ve started to recover; I am coming on in leaps and bounds now."

Following her diagnosis, she admitted that the stroke has given her time to reflect, especially as she nears turning 60. "Material things don’t matter; they can be lost or broken, but memories are everything. Friends, family and laughter - that’s all that matters," Cheryl said.

"Going into this new decade is a chance for a new me. I'm not ready to be put out to graze yet."

Cheryl Fergison: Behind The Scenes (published by Mirror Books, £22) is on sale on Thursday in all good bookshops and Amazon